Prior to 1893 a Union Sunday School
was maintained in Highland Park by various churches
in New Brunswick. This was disbanded in 1893 and the Reformed Sunday
School was formed. From 1893 to 1895 the Baptists in the Park held
cottage prayer meetings in the various homes, at which meetings a
Sunday School for the Baptist children was often discussed. The matter was placed
before the First Baptist Church of New Brunswick, Which decided that
there was material for a Mission Sunday School.
The school was organized with
Mr. Henry B. Zimmerman as Superintendent, and for the first five years of it's
existence held sessions in what had previously been a grocery store
on Raritan Avenue, near First Avenue. The first session was held on the first Sunday
of June, 1895. Before the end of 1895 four members professed conversion
and were baptized into the First Baptist Church of New Brunswick by the
Pastor, the Rev. L. E. Wheeler. Altogether, during the first five years
of the Sunday School, twenty members were baptized.
In April, 1899,
land was purchased on the Patterson farm and plans for a Chapel were
prepared by Mr. August N. Whitlock and were adopted by the First Baptist
Church of New Brunswick Trustees, who held the property in trust, in
May, 1899. A subscription list was then started. The building was
commenced in the fall of 1899 and finished in the spring of 1900 and
dedicated in June, 1900.
From a beginning of 33 members, the
School grew rapidly and in 1911 the Chapel was enlarged. Formation of
a Church in Highland Park was the ultimate aim of the Baptists. There
was however, a natural reluctance upon the part of the members to
withdraw their membership from their mother Church, which, in most
cases, was the First Baptist Church of New Brunswick. Preaching services
were held for many years by various supplies and resident Baptist
ministers. In June, 1925, Rev. Fred H. McNair was called to preach
at services that had been started by the young people.
In
October, 1925 it was decided the time was ripe to start a Baptist
Church in Highland Park. The Chapel property, which had been held in
trust by the First Baptist Church of New Brunswick, had already been
deeded to the Sunday School.
On November 24th, 1925, the Church was
organized as the First Baptist Church of Highland Park and was incorporated
in 1927. Through the years that followed it has had a diversity of ethnic and
racial membership that has prospered and continues to win souls through the saving faith in
our Lord Jesus Christ to this day.